3rd Regiment Basic Camp (Cadet Initial Entry Training) Family Day

Training is coming to a close for another regiment of Basic Camp (Cadet Initial Entry Training) Cadets, and for most, Family Day here at Fort Knox is one of the happiest moments of the summer. This means being reunited with the families after saying goodbye for a month. 3rd Regiment Cadets marched into the Patton Museum this morning, stood at attention and then were released to the care of parents and family members.

Col. Halloren and Lt. Col. Tiedeman, Cadre for the 3rd Regiment, briefed the visiting families on the layout of training that the Cadets took part in over the course of the summer, with special emphasis on more extreme events such as the gas chamber and night land navigation.

3rd Regiment Basic Camp (Cadet Initial Entry Training) Cadets get into formation before reuniting with their families at Family Day on Family Day, July 17. Photo by Ariana Aubuchon

They also took a moment to educate parents on the universal Army response “Hooah,” before releasing the Cadets to a day of well deserved rest with their families.

Cdt. John Hernandez, 3rd regiment Basic Camp (Cadet Initial Entry Training) is reunited with his family at Family Day after thirty days of training, at Fort Knox, Ky, July 17. Photo by Ariana Aubuchon

Annie O’Connor, mother of Cdt. Barbera O’Connor, Arizona State University, said that the separation was hard, but going that long without talking to her daughter was harder.

“She’s been pumped to be in the military since she was tiny, and now she has all these experiences to share with her dad, its worth it in the end.”

Parents were eager to share the unique advice they gave their children before they took part in their month long training, everything ranging from “use your internal voice if you get angry instead of voicing it,” to “don’t drink milk before you go in the gas chamber.”

All in all, the advice was sound, as Cadets of third regiment go onto graduation tomorrow, culminating a successful training iteration.